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Probably a stupid question BUT

F

flewpastu

Charter Member
How would one add a alpha chanel to and existing photoshop file. I am running Photoshop CS4 and when I go to do a repaint on the nemeth UH1H there is no alpha channel, am I missing somthing and if so could someone please tell me. I would like to get more shine/gloss from the repaints.

Thanks In Advance

Bill

P.S. I do open the file up 1st with DXTBmp and then send the file to Photoshop.
 
if it's the same as CS3 select Channels then add channel and if it doesn't already name it Alpha 1

or to use a pre-done alpha you can use DXTBMP, export the alpha and paste it as a new channel in the PSD repaint kit...
 
I never had my Alphas on my primary master PSD files. I save the Alpha (after creating it) and save it to a BMP format. I can then tune that for various reflective adjustments.

On PS, there should be tabs at the top of the 'layers' window. One should be Alphas. If no Alpha is present (selectable or visible), then click the 'add layer' button, and this will install/create a Alpha layer under the stack. Click on it an deselect the others to have full view and access to the Alpha (if you wish to have the ALpha in the primary Master PSD file).



Bill
 
Humm, dont see anything like that, I can add a layer but what do I do next ? Thanks for the help anyway.

Bill
 
The tab on the layers palette should read "channels". See if you've got a tab like the one in my shot (which is from CS2, btw).
 
Ok Thanks Guys I realy do appreciate it, and thanks for the links to the tutorials Cazzie, And thanks Bill for getting me on the right track. As for adding a alpha channel I am under the assumption that adding a alpha channel you can get that glossy look from your re-paints or am I not understanding somthing ?

Bill
 
flewpastu said:
Ok Thanks Guys I realy do appreciate it, and thanks for the links to the tutorials Cazzie, And thanks Bill for getting me on the right track. As for adding a alpha channel I am under the assumption that adding a alpha channel you can get that glossy look from your re-paints or am I not understanding somthing ?

Bill
Click to expand...


It will on some planes, but on some, it will render transparency.

Anyhow, you do not do that (at least I do not) through the Photoshop textures, you do using DXTBitmap. You have to replace the main texture and the Alpha Channel through it. I do not think doing such to the Photoshop texture will having any bearing on the base unless you're that master ChrisB, man can do some strange things with Photoshop.

Caz
 
Actually, adding alphas in Photoshop works great for FSX. All you do is run your PSD through Imagetool.exe once the alpha is set, and bingo -- workable alphas. I actually find it much simpler than using DXTBMP and merging multiple images.
 
spotlope said:
Actually, adding alphas in Photoshop works great for FSX. All you do is run your PSD through Imagetool.exe once the alpha is set, and bingo -- workable alphas. I actually find it much simpler than using DXTBMP and merging multiple images.
Click to expand...

That's my practice as well, except that I "Save As" directly from the master.psd file using the nVidia DDS plugin, after applying a "Flip Vertical" to the image.

For FS9 textures, I "Save As" a 32bit Targa, then use either DXTBMP or ImageTool to compress to DXT3 format.

By doing it this way, I have only one master.psd file to keep track of, and it works for both sim versions... :ernae:
 
cazzie it helps with batch conversion of textures such as PSD>DDS like i Use, takes the PSD and makes it a DDS DXT3 image ready for FSX, it reads the RGB channels just like other editors and reads the alpha chqannel and adds it to the image as well... nice and handy :kilroy:
 
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